Somalia: Al Shabaab fighters attack AMISOM base in Lower Shabelle

BARAWE, Somalia- Heavily armed Al shabaab militants have staged a daring attack on an African Union military base in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region on Saturday, Garowe Online reports.

Local residents said Al shabaab militants launched an ambush assault on Burundian peacekeeping soldiers serving with African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) at El Jalle area near Marka town.

The attack has sparked a fierce gun battle between the Al shabaab attackers and the Burundian soldiers of AMISOM contingent that raged on for several hours in the early morning on Saturday.

In a separate incident, two Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers were killed by assailants, believed to be Al Shabaab members at Ambaresso area, located about 10 km south of the southern port town of Marka.

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) did not release statment on both attacks, which were the latest in series of raids in Lower Shabelle region by Al Qaida linked Al Shabaab group.

Al Shabaab has lost Barawe and Marka, two seaside towns in southern Somalia to AMISOM and Somali National Army (SNA), following joint full-scale military offensives that began in 2012.

GAROWEONLINE